The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are set to square-off in a Week 3 battle of NFC East foes. But these two teams have been engaged in a war of words since June.

The Eagles and Giants are two teams that definitely don’t like each other. Heck, the cities of New York and Philadelphia don’t like each other either. They are probably now the most heated rivals in their division.

“This year was the worst in my eight-year career as far as animosity toward that team. There’s a real hatred toward Philly and there’s a real hatred for them toward us.

That sure sounds like the rivalry between these two teams is heated, to say the least.

However, the Eagles have had the upperhand lately as they’ve won the past six games between them.

Part of the joy for Eagles fans during this winning stretch is seeing the red-faced Giants head coach Tom Coughlin get mad and slamming his clipboard on the ground.

Speaking of an upset Tom Coughlin, is Matt Dodge still punting for New York? The last we saw of good ole red-face was when he Dodge were having a nice little chat at the end of the last Eagles-Giants game.

I said, PUNT IT OUT OF BOUNDS!

I’m sure every fan of both teams remembers the walk-off punt return for a TD last season by DeSean Jackson. That game still sticks in the craw of many Giants players and fans alike.

And now Matt Dodge is the punter version of Ray Finkle (laces out!) from Ace Ventura. Punt it out (of bounds)!!

But anyway, back on topic here. The Eagles and Giants have been exchanging verbal jabs over the course of the past few months.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the Giants were green with envy (midnight green, of course).

Sometimes players use trash-talking as a way to get inside their opponent’s head. Sometimes all that does is make the other team angry and therefore it backfires on the trash-talkers.

The Giants’ players have done a lot of talking recently and have gotten a few responses from Eagles players. But the Giants appear to be the main talkers in this war.

Although, the entire war of words was basically started by one Eagles player: LeSean McCoy.

Let’s refresh your memory with how it began and then catch you up on the latest exchanges.

It all began back in June when Lesean McCoy tweeted the following in response to hearing about a pending legal issue between Osi Umenyiora and the Giants:

“Overrated n soft 3rd best d-line on his team honestly.”

The comment seemed to come out of nowhere and wasn’t provoked. It is a form of trash talk but the timing of it and what it was in response to, made it seem personal between McCoy and Umenyiora.

“Yeah, me and him, we had words on the field — both times we played. I hate him, he hates me, period,” Umenyiora said. “He chose to take that off the field and make it public when it’s something that’s between me and him. It’s something we can address on the football field. He let the whole world know about it, so I’m going to respond.”

He didn’t stop there though, here’s what else he had to say:

“I mean, he’s a girl, man. Who does stuff like that? If he has more of these things to say, he can say ‘em to my face. Don’t be no Twitter gangster man.”

Sounds like there’s a real displeasure between these two guys.

And let’s not forget that Osi also called McCoy “Lady Ga Ga.” (I did find that one rather humorous though)

To my knowledge, I don’t believe McCoy ever said anything else about this situation other than he’s not sorry for his tweet. However, others did chime in…

“Well, two things, yes we will take that personally,” Tuck said in an interview on Mike and Mike in the morning. “And two, he might want to watch some film before he starts talking about a defensive end of Osi’s quality. I don’t know where he would say something of that nature. Obviously Osi’s stats back up the fact that he is a pretty good NFL football player.”

And furthermore…

“I honestly think social media has made people cowards,” Tuck said. “Where I’m from, if you had a problem with somebody, you said it to their face. I think now people are hiding behind computers and smart phones to get out something they got on their chest where I’m used to having a problem with a person, you go tell it to their face. You don’t go blast it out so everybody in the world can see about it.”

Maybe Tuck was offended because he thinks he’s the third best DE on their team.

But I suppose this was a case of one teammate sticking up for another. McCoy did start it, after all. Tuck wasn’t the only one to run to Osi’s defense though, current teammate and former Giant Steve Smith even got in on the action:

The “please don’t forget” comment was followed by a link to a picture of the Giants winning the Lombardi trophy after their 2008 Super Bowl victory.

So in essence, Smith was saying “shut up McCoy, don’t talk any crap until your team can actually win a championship.”

That kind of comment is always the fall-back comment that every non-Eagle fan uses when they get into a chops-busting contest. Even players use it!

As far as these two being teammates now, last I’ve heard is that they have yet to kiss and make up. Each of them were asked about it in mid-August and both had responses that indicated the hatchet is not yet buried.

But alas, they fight for the same team now and both will be trying to beat the Giants this Sunday.

So, has there been other chatter between the Eagles and Giants that isn’t related to Osi and McCoy? There sure has…

Some Giants’ players haven’t taken to fondly of the Eagles’ “Dream Team” moniker (and neither have most Eagles fans either).

“We don’t put nobody on a pedestal,” Manningham said. “We treat all our opponents the same even, if they got a hundred dream teams, it don’t matter.”

Manningham expounded further in the context of whether the Eagles are the team to beat and if the Giants are an afterthought:

Hold on, says Manningham. Can we play some football first?

“I’m not about to say they’ve got a three-headed monster (Rodgers-Cromartie, Asomugha and Asante Samuel), I’m not about to give them all the props in the world when they didn’t even play a game yet. They good, they athletes, they in the NFL. We go out and do what we got do and we gonna see when we play them.”

Manningham has a good point but it’s obvious the Giants are getting tired of all the talk about the Eagles. They’re frustrated and feeling disrespected.

They want to show the world that they’re a good team as well and are capable of beating the Eagles.

“I don’t want any excuses when we go down there and put it to ‘em,’’ Rolle said Tuesday on his weekly WFAN radio spot.

If that isn’t delusional enough, Rolle goes on to say this in regards to covering the likes of DeSean Jackson:

“I’ve handled DeSean Jackson one-on-one before,’’ Rolle said, “and I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to do it again.’’

Uhhh, say what Antrel? Come again? I’m not a doctor but I think Giants need to give him a drug test, stat!

There aren’t many CBs who can cover Jackson one-on-one, let alone a safety. After Sunday, Rolle is going to be very familiar with the back of Jackson’s jersey.

After seemingly all this one-way trash talk, finally a couple of Eagles responded to Rolle’s latest comments. Jeremy Maclin came back with this:

“A lot of people talk because they’re insecure or scared…he’s talking so that says something.”

I think Maclin is on to something there. The Giants’ secondary was shredded by the Rams receiving corps, just imagine what the Eagles will do.

In that same article, Eagles linebacker Moises Fokou also responded to Rolle’s comments:

“We definitely have to be in their heads right now,” said linebacker Moise Fokou, “especially from the way we came back and stole that game from the last year. Even though it’s a big rivalry, I think they’re even more hungry and want some revenge right now.”

Perhaps Maclin and Fokou have hit the nail on the head with their retorts. I think the Giants are both a little scared and a little vengeful.

Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes. This week there is bound to be a lot of action going on at Lincoln Financial Field.

I’m sure there will also be some action after the whistle blows as well. On Sunday all of these players will have to put their money where their mouth is.

Time to put up or shut up.

As some guy named Terrell Owens once said: “Get yo popcorn ready.” This is going to be quite a show.